Transporte Urbano was founded by the Dominican composer Luis Días, in 1982, after he returned from a temporary stay in New York City.

This arose from his contact with punk and other rock expressions while living in New York City in the early 1980s and led to the birth of Transporte Urbano.

Días chose a few young, Santo Domingo-based musicians for this project: Juan Francisco Ordóñez on electric guitar, Guy Frómeta on drums, Héctor Santana on bass (later replaced by Peter Nova), Bruno Ranson on sax and percussionist José Duluc.

[3] They are considered highly influential and Dias' being regarded "the father of Dominican rock" stems directly from his work with Transporte Urbano.

Along with the distinct social commentary content of Días' songs, the band mixed in the universal sounds of rock and jazz and referenced authentic Dominican rhythms, generating a new musical style.